Water-power device



-R.H.GRAY. V WATER POWER DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED. AUG- I5| I92I- Patented Nov. 21,1922;

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

R. u. GRAY. WATER Powz a DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG- IB, 1921-.

Patented Nov. 21, 19220 Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

: rites ROBERT HALL GRAY, OF STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

WATER-POWER DEVICE.

Application filed August 16, 1921. Serial No. 492,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HALL GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Statesville, in the county of Iredell and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful VVater-Power Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide novel means whereby a comparatively small amount of falling water may be used to supply power, the device being of peculiar utility on a stream where there is but a small amount of fall and a small amount of water.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in top plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, the parts being in a different position from that depicted in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section on the line 4t of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a frame 1 mounted on a foundation 2. The frame 1 need not'be described in detail, because its specific construction will depend upon the topography of the place where the machine is located. The numeral 3 designates, generally, a tiltable member including a walking beam 4 fulcrumed intermediate its ends, to swing vertically on a shaft 5 carried by the frame 1. A box 6 is located on one end of the walking beam 4- and is adapted to receive counterpoise weights (not shown). The tiltable member 3 includes a standard 7 fixed to and upstanding from the walking beam 4; intermediate the ends thereof, the standard 7 being sustained from the walking beam by braces 8 and 80. One end of the walking beam 4 carries a tank 9 having an outlet 10 controlled by a valve 11 which may be hingedly mounted as shown at 12, the

valve having an upstanding finger 14 pivoted at 15 to a connection 16 in the form of a rod, the connection passing slidably through the hub 17 of a shaft 18 mounted to rock in an inverted pendulum 19 pivoted at 20 to the walking beam a. The shaft 18 may be held 011 the pendulum 19, for rocking movement, by means of a nut 21, a washer 22 being interposed between the nut and the pendulum A set screw 23 is threaded into the end of the hub 17 of the shaft 18 and engages the rod or connection 16, the construction being such that the connection or rod may be adjusted in the direction of its length, in the hub 17 of the shaft 18. The pendulum 19 comprises a reduced upper end 24 on which a weight 25 is adjustable, longitudinally of the pendulum, the weight being held in adjusted positions by nuts threaded on the end 24.

A reservoir 27 is carried by the frame 1 and has an outlet 28 adapted to discharge into the tank 9 on the walking beam 4:, the outlet 28 being controlled by a slidable valve 29 having a stem 30 pivoted at 32 to a link 31 having a guide slot 33. Thenumeral 3a denotes a stop located in the path of the pendulum 19 and comprising a stem 35 extended through the slot 33. A nut 36 is threaded on the stem 35 of the stop 34L and constitutes means whereby the stop may be held in adjusted positions longitudinally of the link 31 a washer 47 being. interposed between the nut and the link. The upper end of the standard 7 of the tiltable member 3 is bifurcated as shown at 37, to receive the link 31. A bolt 38 or other connection is mounted in the upper end of the standard 7 and is located in the guide'slot 33 of the link 31, the link thus being connected to the standard 7 for limited sliding movement. A flexible element 39 or other connection may be united with the upper end of the standard 7, the flexiblev element 39 passing between guide pulleys 40 on the frame 1. The flexible element 39 may be prolonged to a remote pump or other device (not shown), which it is proposed to operate.

In practical operation, the water accumulates in the reservoir 27, the valve 29 being in closed position with respect to the outlet 28. Presupposing that the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 3, the water flows from the reservoir 27, through the outlet 28 into the tank 9 of the tiltable member, the valve 11 being closed. The water acculnulates in. the tank 9 until the tiltable member is overbalanced, whereupon the tiltable member swings downwardly at its right hand end (Figure 3). The pendulum 19, which in Figure 3 is shown as resting on a stop 100 carried by the standard 7, swings to the right and engages the stop 34L on the link 31, the link 31 being carried to the right, and the valve 29 being moved to closed position with respect to the outlet 28 of the reservoir 27. The aforesaid swinging movement of the pendulum 19 carries the connection or rod 16 to the right, thereby opening the valve 11, whereupon the water in the tank 9 flows away. The counterpoise at 6 now reasserts itself, and restores the parts from the position of Figure Qto the position v of Figure 3. When the left hand end of the tiltable member swings downwardly, and when the standard 7 moves to the left, the connection 88 arrives at the left hand end of the guide slot 88 and moves the link 31 to the left, thereby to dispose the valve 29 in the open position of Figure 3. The pendulum 19, as it swings to the left, permits a closing of the valve 11 as depicted in F igure 3.

Since the stop 34 is adjustable in the slot 33, the throw of the pendulum 19 may be regulated. An adjustment in the movement of the valve 11 may be brought about, because the connection 16 is adjustably held by the set screw 23 in the hub 17 of the shaft 18. The effectiveness of the weight 25 may be regulated by shifting the weight along the part 24: of the pendulum 19, the weight being held in adjusted positions by the nuts 26. As hereinbefore intimated motion may be transmitted from the standard 7 to a remote point, through the instrumentality of the flexible element 29 or its equivalent.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a frame; a tiltable member mounted to swing on the frame; a tank on the tiltable member; a first valve controlling the flow from the tank; a reservoir on the frame and discharging into the tank; a second valve controlling the flow from the reservoir into the tank; a pendulum mountedto swing on the tiltable member; and means for operating the valves from the tiltable member.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame; a tiltable member mounted to swing on the frame; a tank on the tiltable member; a first valve controlling the flow from the tank; a reservoir on the frame and discharging into the tank; a second valve controlling the fiow from the reservoir into the tank; a pendulum mounted to swing on the tiltable member; means for connecting the pendulum with the first valve; a link connected with the second valve and including a part located in the path of the pendulum; and means for connecting the link slidably with the tiltable member.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame; a tiltable member mounted to swing on the frame; a tank on the tiltable member; a valve controlling the flow from the tank; a pendulum mounted to swing on the tiltable member; and a connection between the tiltable member and the valve.

&. In a device of the class described, a frame; a tiltable member mounted to swing on the frame; a tank on the tiltable member; a first valve controlling the flow from the tank; a reservoir on the frame and discharging into the tank; a second valve controlling the fiow from the reservoir to the tank; a pendulum mounted to swing on the tiltable member; means for operating the valves from the pendulum; a weight adjustable longitudinally of the pendulum; and means for holding the weight in adjusted positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT HALL GRAY.

W'itnesses:

L. N. SUMMERS, L. A. Porn. 

